The vast majority of chicken houses are equipped with automated feeders that supply food to the chicken during approximately four to eight week period in which they inhabit the house. However, from the time a chicken is hatched until it is approximately ten days old, they are too small to feed from the automatic feeders.
The method of feeding baby chicks has remained the same since the beginning of large scale chicken production. A baby chick arriving at the poultry farm is only a few hours old, only three to four inches tall and weights only a few ounces. To feed these baby chicks, the chicken grower places feeder trays throughout the chicken house that are then filled with feed. These feeder trays have short sides and are placed close to the brooder area (heating stove) so that the baby chicks, with the limited mobility and inability to reach the taller sides of the automatic feeders, can find feed as soon as possible. The baby chicks use these feeder trays for approximately ten days after which time they move to the automatic feeders.
Presently, there exist two types of feeder trays that are used to feed baby chicks. One type is a plastic feeder tray that is about 22".times.16" with 2" sides. The second type is a cardboard feeder tray that is about 20".times.17" with 2" sides. Both feeder trays are placed in the chicken house as described. However, once the baby chicks have abandoned the plastic trays for the automatic feeder, the plastic trays must be taken out of the chicken house, washed and sanitized. Removing, cleaning and sanitizing these plastic trays take many labor hours and substantial amounts of water. The mixture of feed, moisture and chick feces bond together like glue to the trays. If the plastic trays are not properly cleaned, the dirty trays will grow mold that is very harmful to the chicks intestine.
The cardboard trays are placed in the chicken houses in the same manner as the plastic trays. But, the cardboard trays are sold to the growers unassembled. The sides of these trays must be folded up and locked into place. Folding hundreds of these trays each growing period is a costly and labor intensive process. Further, once the cardboard trays are assembled, the sides are parallel, preventing them from stacking. This makes handling these trays difficult. And further, when the chicks outgrow the cardboard feeder trays, they must be taken out of the house and disposed of. Most chicken growers burn the used cardboard trays, a practice that is dangerous and sometimes prohibited during dry weather.